WCH man sent to prison for 17 years after pleading guilty to a string of burglaries

Multiple burglaries result in lengthy sentence for Lowry

A 31-year-old Washington C.H. man was sentenced to a total of 17 years in prison on two cases this week after pleading guilty to a string of burglaries within Fayette County.

In the first case, Harvey L. Lowry pleaded guilty Monday in Fayette County Common Pleas Court to engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a first-degree felony, and to three counts of burglary, all second-degree felonies. He was sentenced to five years in prison on engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity and three years on each count of burglary for a total of 14 years.

In the second case, Lowry pleaded guilty to three counts of burglary, each felonies of the third degree. For each count, he received a one-year prison sentence for a total of three years.

Common Pleas Court Judge Steven Beathard ordered the sentences for the two cases to be served consecutively for a total of 17 years in prison. This sentence was part of an agreement between Lowry and the Fayette County Prosecutor’s Office.

Lowry’s extensive criminal history was a large factor in the lengthy prison sentence, according to officials.

According to incident reports filed with the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Lowry and Shawna E. Nelson, 25, of Bloomingburg, forced entry May 25 into a Madison Township home on Harrison Road in Mt. Sterling and removed items.

The reports list the stolen items to include a kid’s piggy bank, jars of change with an unknown value, jewelry valued in excess of $1,000, clothing, and a case of bullets. The reports state that rocks were thrown through the patio window of the residence. The person who lived at the home was not there at the time of the incident. Sheriff’s office detectives were called to the scene and lifted fingerprints from the residence to be sent to BCI.

Four days later, May 29, Lowry and Nelson reportedly burglarized a home on State Route 38 in Bloomingburg and forced entry by throwing a rock through the front door. Items removed included a television, prescription medication and jewelry items valued at close to $2,000. Again, detectives were called to take fingerprints.

A couple of days following the Bloomingburg incident, on May 31, a home on Washington Waterloo Road was burglarized. According to reports, Lowry and Nelson allegedly forced entry into the rear door but left no evidence at the scene. A loose cut diamond ring valued at nearly $5,000, along with other jewelry items and an iPad, were reported stolen.

Lowry was also ordered to pay restitution, along with any co-defendants, of $4,225 to a victim in one case. In the other case, he was ordered to pay $2,378.71 to one victim and $4,804 to another.

Nelson’s case is still pending and she is scheduled to go to trial later this month.